Fastening device.



W. H. TORIAN.

FASTENING DEVIGB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY31, 1912.

1,0711 Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SEEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR cow/mm pumommm C0,, \vAsnmd c LUYLIQO.

W. H. TORIAN.

FASTENING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 31, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES W INVENTOR Mam/174 COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH O.. WASHINGTON. D cvPatented Aug. 26, 1913.

llllhlllTldilU ETA'IQ. ltd PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM H. TORIAN, OF WACO, TEXAS.

FASTENING DEVICE.

easily adjustable to different heights of the latching member, which iseasily and quickly adjustable to different horizontal positions of thelatching member, and which is so constructed that it is firmly butsimply held in place in any of its positions.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear fromthe detailed description given below taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view illustrating a gate having oneform of my improved fastening means for securing the same to the gatepost. Fig. 2 is a detailed side View of the fastening means embracingthe latch member and strike, certain parts being broken away in order tomore clearly illustrate the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing thelatch member about to engage the strike. Fig. 1- is a plan view of theparts shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the modified formof strike. Fig. 6

is a side view of a still further modified form of strike device. Fig. 7is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to a inclusive, 1 represents a fence and 2 a gatebetween the posts 3 and t. The gate 2 is secured to a member 5 by meansof hinges 6. The memher 5 is adjustably secured to the post 3 by meansof screws 7 passing through slots 8. Thus the height of the gate may bequickly and easily adjusted by slightly withdrawing the screws 7 andmoving the gate 2 up or down as desired, and then tightening the screws7 to again firmly secure the gate in i adjusted position.

At the opposite end of the gate it is provided with an improved latchmember 9 which engages and cooperates with a strike I Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed May 31, 1912.

Patented An g. 26. 1913. Serial No. 700,622.

10 secured to the post 4. The latch memher 9 comprises two parts 11 and12, secured together at one end by the bolt 13 and having cut awayportions so as to form a vertical slot at 15. The member 9 is providedwith a strike engaging recess at 16, for engaging the strike 10. It isalso provided with an aperture 17 therethrough, through which theshackle of a padlock or similar device may be passed for absolutelylocking the gate. If the padlock is small enough to pass through thestrike the shackle of the padlock may be passed not only through theaperture 17, but also around one member of the strike 10.

The latch member 9 is secured to the gate 2 by means of a screw-eye 18which extends into the slot 15, and through the eye of which passes apivot pin 19 so that the member 9 is pivoted on the screw-eye 18. Thescrew-eye is preferably formed of heavy wire, one end of which is turnedabout the screw shank 20 as at 21, in order to form a shoulder forabutting against the gate or material to which the latch member issecured. If it is desired to increase the hearing of this shoulder awasher 22 may be interposed between the shoulder at 21 and the wood ofthe gate. A pin 23 passes across the slot 15 between the t vo members 11and 12 and engages the underneath side of the screw-eye 18 to act as astop, and limit the downward movement of the latch 9 about its pivot 19.Pivotally mounted in the slot 15 on a pivot pin 241- is a gravityoperated locking member 25 having a hook portion 26 adapted to passacross the recess 16 in order to lock the strike 10 therein. The

.member 25 is provided with a projecting handle 27 extending upwardly,and preferably the whole locking member is formed of wire, one end ofwhich is coiled around the handle 27 at 28, in order to weight thehandle and cause the hook portion 26 to tend to always move by gravityacross the opening of the recess 16.

The strike 10 is preferably formed of heavy wire and comprises foursides, 30, 3.1, and 33, with a screw shank 34: projecting from the side33. The sides 30 and 32 are substantially parallel with one another andare each adapted to be engaged by the latch member 9. The screw shank34L also projects from the side 33, parallel to the sides 30 and 32, butat unequal distances from the sides 30 and 32. The side is bent inwardlyfrom the sides 30 and 32 toward the inner end of the screw shank 34,thus providing two abutments at 35 and 36, which engage the wood ormaterial to which the strike is attached with a spring pressure, and areadapted to bite into the wood or other material to more firmly hold thestrike in place.

In operation, when the gate is being shut the underneath cam face 37 ofthe latch 9 engages the side 32 of the strike 10 so that the latchmember is somewhat oscillated about the pivot pin 19 and rides up overthe side 32 of the strike. As the side 32 nears the recess 16 the side32 strikes the hook member 26 forcing it backwardly against the actionof gravity until finally the side 32 of the strike slips into the recess16, the latch member falling downwardly by gravity, and the hook 26passing under the side 32 01. the strike. Gravity causes the hook 26 topass completely across the recess 16, as shown in Fig. 2, in order tolock the latch member to the strike. In order to open the gate it willbe seen that two movements are necessary. First, the handle 27 must beseized and thrown to the left, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and then itshould be pulled upwardly in order to remove the latch member 9 from thestrike 10.

If it is found that the gate is either too high or too low, so that. thelatch member with its recess 16 does not properly cooperate with theengaging side of the strike 10, then the strike 10 may be turnedslightly about the screw shank 34 as an axis, until the side 32 isbrought high enough or low enough to properly engage the recess 16. Ifit is found that the strike 9 will not move inwardly far enough so thatits recess 16 will slip over the side 32, then the strike 10 may begiven a one-halt revolution about the shank 34 as an axis, whereupon theengaging side will be brought into operative position, and since theside 30 is farther away from the axis than the side 32 it will bebrought nearer to the gate member so that it will properly slip into therecess 16. Since the points or portions 35 and 36 en gage the post witha spring pressure this slight rotation which of course draws the screwshank farther into the wood or moves it a slight distance outward, doesnot materially loosen the strike, as because of this spring pressurethese portions will always firmly ngage the material to which the strikeis attached.

he modified form of strike shown in Fig. is provided with two portionsand 41, adapted to engage with the latch member. As will be seen fromFig. 5, this "form of strike is made of heavy wire bent rectangular inshape, one end of the wire being in the form of a screw shank 4.2,extending into the material 43, to which the strike is attached. Theother end of the wire is coiled about the inner portion of the screwshank 42, as at 44, to form a coil spring which bears against the washerwith a spring pressure, so that a portion of the strike bears againstthe means to which it is attached with the spring pressure. If desired,the washer 45 may be omitted, but in either case, it' the strike isturned a part of a revolution or so, in order to adjust the parts 40 or41 to properly engage the latch member, nevertheless this does notmaterially loosen the strike, as the spring 44 or washer 45 always bindstightly against the material 43 to which the strike is attached. It willalso be noted that the portions 40 or 41 which are distances from theaxis of the screw shank 42, so that either one or the other of theseportions 40 or 41 may be used for engagement with the latch member,according to the condition encountered.

By attaching the latch member 9 to the gate or other part, by means of ascrew-eye, the same may be quickly inserted in place and easily removedand put in a new position, as desired. serves as a means for securingthe latch more in place, but also, coiiperating with the pin 23, servesas a stop for limiting the downward movement of the latch member.

Although I have described my improvements in great detail and withrespect to particular embodiments thereof, I do not desire to be limitedto such details except as clearly specified in the appended claims,since many changes and modifications may well be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention in its broader aspects.

Having fully and clearly described my improvements, what I claim as newand de sire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A strike for latches and the like, comprising a tour sided member,having a screw shank projecting from one side at unequal distances fromthe two adjacent sides, and said first mentioned side having portionswhich engage the means to which. the strike is secured with a springpressure.

2. A strike for latches and the like, comprising a device having twoopposite sides each adapted to be engaged by a latch, means for securingthe strike in place and portions engaging the material to which thestrike is secured with a spring pressure.

3. A strike for latches and the like, com

sides are parallel and adapted to be engaged by a latch or the like, andmeans extending from the member into the material to which the strike issecured at unequal distances l from said sides and about which thestrike prising a four sided member two of which engaged by the latchmember are at unequal The screw-eye not only may be turned as an axis,whereby the means engaging the material to which the strike may beadjusted for different latch strike is secured with a spring pressure.

positions by turning the same about said In testimony whereof, I havesigned my means as an axis, said member having means name to thisspecification, in the presence 0 engaging the material to which thestrike of two subscribing witnesses.

is secured with a spring pressure. I ET 4. A strike for latches and thelike, com- Vi ILLIAM TORIA)" prising a device having two opposite sidesWitnesses: each adapted to be engaged by a latch, LOUIS IUGLLNER, 1means tor securlng the same in place, and GUS ROSEN'JIIAL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

